Russia and Turkey signed here Thursday a strategic
cooperation protocol in a bid to enhance their bilateral relations.

The protocol was signed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Ciragan Palace, Istanbul.

However, the two sides did not reveal any detail of the
strategic protocol.

Sergei Lavrov arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday for a two-day
visit to participate in a meeting of a high-level cooperation council between
Russia and Turkey.

The two ministers met at the first meeting of the
Turkish-Russian Joint Strategic Planning Group, which carries out preparatory
work ahead of the High-Level Cooperation Council meeting scheduled to be held in
Moscow in March.

The meeting, to be held in March, will also include Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discuss not just bilateral matters but
also regional and global developments, particularly in the Balkans and the
Middle East.

One particular issue to be discussed in March is the lifting
of visas.

Davutoglu said he hoped the agreement to lift visas would be
signed in the upcoming meeting. Lavrov added that they would be making an
announcement about the matter �soon.�

Lavrov also said both countries would discuss manners to
increase trade volume and that all means were available to bring trade up to 100
billion U.S. dollars.

These meetings will become an annual institution, said
Davutoglu, adding �both countries now enjoy the best relations we�ve ever had
since the end of the Cold War.�

The High-Level Cooperation Council between Russia and Turkey
is an intergovernmental cooperation mechanism that lays the foundation for the
strategic partnership of the two countries.

Russian-Turkish ties have predominantly expanded on an
economic basis, especially with energy deals. Projects in the energy sector such
as Samsun-Ceyhan, South Stream and Nabucco will also be on the agenda of the
preparatory talks.

Turkey receives 70 percent of its energy resources, including
gas and oil, from Russia. Turkey will also put into operation its first nuclear
power plant with the cooperation of Russia. �